Latest news with #344Fire
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfires threaten more Florida homes as drought worsens. Will it rain soon?
As rain continues to elude most of Florida, the number of wildfires continues to grow across the state, and several counties were placed under a red flag warning Friday, March 28. As of Friday morning, there are 61 wildfires in the state, up from 59 Thursday morning, according to the Florida Forest Service. ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location The Martin County Sheriff's Office evacuated about a dozen homes in Palm City Thursday as firefighters battled two brush fires that have burned 210 acres. As of Thursday night, the Gator Fire was 50% contained. It was the second time in two days homes were evacuated as wildfires neared homes. A fire in Collier County Wednesday threatened homes and a park, prompting evacuations. The biggest fire in the state continues to be the 344 Fire in south Miami-Dade County, which has burned almost 27,000 acres as of March 28, according to the Florida Forest Service. It is now 95% contained. Most of Florida's peninsula is abnormally dry, with two large sections of the state under severe drought conditions, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Management. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida continues to climb again, jumping to a statewide average of 339 Thursday from 332 on Wednesday. Red flag warnings extend along the West Coast into portions of Central Florida. The drought index uses a scale from 0, which is very wet, to 800, which is very dry. As of Thursday, March 27, there were 14 Florida counties with an average Keetch-Byram Drought Index over 500, which means drought or increased fire danger. Highlands and Sumter counties were the newest additions. Broward: 660 Charlotte: 539 Collier: 610 Glades: 582 Hardee: 521 Hendry: 595 Highlands: 504 Lake: 514 Lee: 575 Manatee: 511 Miami-Dade: 609 Monroe: 584 Palm Beach: 609 Sarasota: 515 Sumter: 503 Another 14 of Florida's 67 counties have index numbers in the 400s. The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for 14 counties: Charlotte Citrus DeSoto Hardee Hernando Hillsborough Lake Lee Manatee Pasco Pinellas Polk Sarasota Sumter A red flag warning is issued when "critical fire weather conditions" are in place. "A red flag warning means warm temperatures, very low humidity, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger," the National Weather Service said. Officials in Palm City urged residents of about a dozen homes to evacuate as firefighters fought two brush fires Thursday. Friday morning, the Florida Forest Service said the Gator Fire in Martin County had burned 210 acres and was 50% contained. The second fire burned about an acre in Hobe Sound. A fire near the Naples community of Wilshire Lakes prompted officials to ask residents to evacuate. North Collier Regional Park was closed, along with several roads in the area. "There were huge flames in people's backyards, in our neighborhood, and the smoke just kept rising and rising," said Kristin Milewicz, a resident of the Wilshire Lakes neighborhood. The Collier Regional fire, which grew to 10 acres, was 99 percent contained Friday morning, according to the Florida Forest Service. Pensacola, western Panhandle: Friday, March 28, will be dry, according to the National Weather Service Mobile. Tallahassee, central Panhandle: Dry weather will continue through Friday, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee. Northeast Florida: Friday will be partly sunny and breezy. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph, according to the National Weather Service Jacksonville. East-central Florida: It'll be warm and partly sunny Friday with gusty conditions, according to the National Weather Service Melbourne. South Florida: Friday will be dry with breezy winds that could gust up to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service Miami. Southwest Florida: Expect very warm and dry conditions Friday, March 28, the National Weather Service Tampa Bay said. Expect temperatures to climb into the upper 70s to middle 80s across the state through Friday, with coastal areas keeping slightly cooler compared to inland areas with the sea breeze developing. Low temperatures will reach the 50s and 60s overnight, with Southeast Florida and the Keys falling into the lower 70s, the Florida Department of Emergency Management said. Rain chances increase Saturday across the Panhandle and eventually the Big Bend. The Weather Prediction Center is predicting a marginal risk (level 1 of 4) for flash flooding along the far western Panhandle counties on Saturday for potentially locally heavy rainfall, but there remains low confidence about the overall set up and system's development. There could also be a chance for an increase in spotty or isolated showers during the late afternoon and into the evening hours throughout the Florida peninsula, confidence remains low due to ongoing dry conditions from the nearby high pressure (15-20% chance of rain). High temperatures will reach the middle to upper 70s along the coastlines and lower to middle 80s across inland areas. Low temperatures will only fall into the 60s and lower 70s overnight in the wake of a warm front pushing northward, the Florida Department of Emergency Management said. We will continue to update our weather coverage as conditions warrant. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. Contributing: Tayeba Hussein, Naples Daily News This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida brush fires, drought prompt red flag warnings
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How many fires are burning in Florida? Check this wildfire map to see where they are
Drought conditions — along with low humidity, gusty winds, and plenty of dry fuel — have driven up the number of wildfires around Florida. The largest brush fire, the 344 Fire in south Miami-Dade County, has burned more than 26,700 acres as of Thursday morning, and is currently 95 percent contained, but other fires are scattered throughout the state. ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location Here's what you should know: According to the Florida Forest Service, as of 10:30 a.m. Friday, there were 60 wildfires burning across Florida. The number dropped throughout the morning from a high of 66. The fires have burned 31,546 acres. The largest is the 344 Fire in South Miami-Dade County, which has burned more than 26,700 acres. Smoke inhalation dangers: Smoke from Florida fires can be harmful. Here's how to protect yourself and loved ones Fifteen fires are classified as active. The rest are contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. We will continue to update our weather coverage as conditions warrant. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida wildfire map shows where fires are burning, risk locations
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Are there burn bans near me in Florida today? Here's where, what to know about fire danger
Florida's dry season – which typically lasts through the end of April – is giving way to fires throughout the state, which means burn bans are in effect for some regions. Florida forecasters are continuing to warn residents of the elevated fire danger around the state Wednesday, although Tuesday's rains gave some relief to a few counties. There were 50 wildfires reported in Florida on the morning of Wednesday, March 26, down from 55 on Tuesday and 67 on Monday. The number of acres burned stands at just over 28,000. Most of Florida's peninsula is abnormally dry as of now, with two large sections of the state currently under severe drought conditions, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Management. If you live in one of the areas currently under a burn ban, you could be fined for burning outside. Here's what to know about burn bans in Florida this week. Florida statewide forecast: As March closes, what's your weekend weather forecast? What about fires? Rain? If you don't know, burn bans go into effect when there's an increased presence of fire risk and prohibit residents in the affected area from burning anything outside for a temporary period of time. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, 'Local burn bans are enacted by county governments. State burn bans are enacted by the state government and cover larger areas.' As of Wednesday, March 26, there is no statewide burn ban in effect in Florida, but there are six county-enacted burn bans in central and southwest Florida, according to the Florida Forest Service's burn ban map. Note that burning yard debris is always prohibited in Duval, Orange, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Here are the counties currently under a burn ban, as of Wednesday, March 26, according to the map: Charlotte County Collier County Glades County Hendry County Highlands County Sarasota County Map of Florida fires: Wildfires continue to burn across Florida. Yes. If you burn in an area where there is a burn ban in effect in Florida, you could be fined up to $500 and put in jail for up to 60 days. While there are active burn bans in effect in southwest Florida, there are a few active fires in southeast and east-central Florida as of March 26. The biggest fire in the state continues to be the 344 Fire in south Miami-Dade County, which burned 26,719 acres as of last Tuesday afternoon, according to the Florida Forest Service. It is now 85% contained. Card Sound Road, one of only two routes to the Florida Keys, remained closed Wednesday morning, a week after visibility concerns and firefighting efforts prompted the road to be closed originally, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. U.S. 1 is open. Here's an interactive map of fires nationwide: Annually, during Florida's dry season – which runs from November 1 through April 30 – there's a heightened risk of fire. 'Each year, thousands of acres of wildland and many homes are destroyed by fires that can erupt at any time of the year from a variety of causes, including arson, lightning, and debris burning,' Florida Disaster's website says. 'Adding to the fire hazard is the growing number of people living in new communities built in areas that were once wildland.' 'Nearly half of Florida is covered in forests, land that is both fire-dependent and fire-prone,' The Florida Department of Agriculture's website says. 'As the population of our state continues to increase, most communities are part of the wildland urban interface, meaning they are near forests and wooded areas and are at risk for wildfire.' According to the Department of Agriculture, arson and escaped yard debris burning are the two leading causes of wildfires in Florida. To read more about burning yard waste safely, prepping your yard and home, reporting arson and prepping an emergency supply kit, you can visit the Florida Department of Agriculture's guide to being wildfire ready. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida fires: Here's a map of active fires, Counties under burn bans
Miami Herald
24-03-2025
- Climate
- Miami Herald
‘Under control': Massive brush fire in south Miami-Dade is 80% contained, officials say
A massive brush fire that raged through south Miami-Dade, intermittently shut down roads providing access to the entire Florida Keys and spread across thousands of acres for more than a week is reaching its end phases as officials taut the blaze is 'under control.' As of early Monday, the Florida Forest Service said the blaze, dubbed the '344 Fire,' covered about 26,719 acres and was 80% contained. It's unclear when residents will see full containment, but officials have been working to extinguish the fire since it started nearly two weeks ago. Initial forest service figures reveal over 20,000 gallons of flame retardant has been deployed, and its helicopters have performed about 1,435 water drops. Authorities also added it's too early to decipher what damage was caused or the flame's origins. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also was integral on the front lines of containing the brush fire. On Sunday, the agency said it is now playing a support role in assisting with water supply and sporadic spot fire calls as the blaze was 'under control.' 'Wildland firefighters do not expect the fire to spread further,' fire rescue posted on X. 'However, drivers should remain cautious when traveling through the area, as lingering hot spots may still produce smoky conditions on the road.' When the blaze proliferated, it caused traffic mayhem in south Miami-Dade as authorities were forced to close the only two pathways into Monroe County — Card Sound Road and the 18-Mile stretch of U.S. 1. Keys residents and travelers saw days of on-and-off closures. Both roads are now fully open.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will new cold front help drought conditions in Florida? Number of wildfires up to 67
After another dry weekend, drought conditions in Florida continue to expand. And so does the number of wildfires across the state. Friday, there were 58 active wildfires. Monday morning, the number was up to 67, burning more than 28,000 acres across the state. ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location The biggest fire is the 344 Fire in south Miami-Dade County, which has burned almost 27,000 acres. Firefighters gained ground over the weekend, and the fire was 80% contained as of Sunday night, according to the Florida Forest Service. Card Sound Road, one of only two routes to the Florida Keys, remained closed Monday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. U.S. 1 was open as of 7:30 a.m. Most of Florida's peninsula is abnormally dry, with two large sections of the state under severe drought conditions, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Management. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 325 on a scale from 0, which is very wet, to 800, which is very dry. As of Sunday, March 23, there are 11 Florida counties with an average Keetch-Byram Drought Index over 500, which means drought or increased fire danger. Another 15 of Florida's 67 counties have index numbers in the 400s. Broward: 657 Charlotte: 519 Collier: 596 Glades: 569 Hardee: 502 Hendry: 581 Lee: 557 Martin: 546 Miami-Dade: 648 Monroe: 597 Palm Beach: 617 The National Weather Service in Miami warned South Florida residents, which is under severe drought conditions, another dry and warm day is ahead Monday, March 24. Chances for rain increase slightly Tuesday, March 25, with a 20% to 30% chance for rain in South Florida as a front moves through. Along Florida's west coast, another area suffering from drought conditions, the weak cold front is expected Monday night, bringing a chance for showers tonight and Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service Tampa Bay. In Florida's Panhandle and across North Florida, where conditions are less dry, some rain could arrive Monday, March 24. In Northeast Florida, isolated thunderstorms are expected Monday. In the Tallahassee area, a few strong thunderstorms and hail are possible throughout much of the day Monday. In the western Panhandle, showers and thunderstorms were pushing through the area Monday morning. While most storms are "fairly weak, still can't rule out gusty winds or small hail in the strongest storms the next few hours," the National Weather Service Mobile posted on X early Monday morning. On Saturday, March 22, Vero Beach set a new record low for the date, dropping to 39 degrees. The previous record was 40 in 1996, according to the National Weather Service, Melbourne. Above-average temperatures in the mid to upper 80s were forecast for Monday, March 24. We will continue to update our weather coverage as conditions warrant. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida brush fires burn 30,000 acres. When will it rain?
